Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Monday, May 11, 2026
Devil Wears Prada 2 Stays No. 1 Over Mother’s Day Weekend, Tops $433M Globally
The Devil Wears Prada 2 held the No. 1 spot on the domestic box office over Mother’s Day weekend, adding $43 million to push its North American total to $144.8 million in just two weekends. The Disney sequel now stands at $433 million globally—already surpassing the entire lifetime gross of the 2006 original. Warner Bros.’ Mortal Kombat II debuted in second place with $40 million domestically and $63 million worldwide, while Lionsgate’s Michael earned $36.5 million to become the highest-grossing musical biopic in North American history with $240 million domestic. Overall, the Mother’s Day frame is up 88% over 2025, according to Comscore.
Sources: Variety
TV Networks Push “Outcomes” Over Nielsen Ratings as Upfront Season Begins
As TV networks prepare for this week’s annual upfront market, major media companies are pushing to replace traditional Nielsen ratings with “outcomes”—concrete consumer actions like store visits and ticket purchases—as the primary advertising currency. Fox Corp. released data showing its broadcast campaigns drove 81% more restaurant foot traffic among viewers than non-viewers. Warner Bros. Discovery said it envisions a new measurement system within two to three years, while a survey of 300 executives by iSpot found 53% now cite outcomes as the most critical standard. Critics note the approach remains fragmented, making cross-platform comparison difficult without industry-wide standards.
Sources: Variety
Dua Lipa Sues Samsung for $15 Million Over Unauthorized Use of Her Image on TV Packaging
Dua Lipa filed a $15 million lawsuit against Samsung Electronics in California federal court, alleging the company used her likeness on TV packaging without permission or payment. Samsung began printing Lipa’s photograph—taken backstage at the Austin City Limits Festival in 2024—on the boxes of its television sets without authorization; after Lipa demanded they stop, Samsung refused. The suit alleges copyright violation, California right of publicity, and federal Lanham Act claims. Comments quoted in the complaint suggest the unauthorized image directly influenced purchases, with one consumer writing they were not planning to buy a TV “but I saw the box so I decided to get it.”
Sources: Variety
Fox Launches Flash Impact Report to Prove Ad Effectiveness Beyond Viewership Ahead of Upfront
Fox Corp. unveiled its Fox Flash Impact Report on Thursday, a new analysis measuring how TV commercials perform beyond raw viewership—evaluating brand awareness shifts, purchase consideration, and consumer outcomes like foot traffic and website visits. According to SVP of ad sales research Kym Frank, quick-service restaurant campaigns on Fox drove 81% more foot traffic among viewers than non-viewers, while financial-services ads generated 13% higher search engagement; a single Fox 30-second ad matches the engagement of five comparable spots on rival networks. Fox is presenting the findings to Madison Avenue advertisers at its upfront event today, arguing that outcomes—not impressions—are the future of TV advertising.
Sources: Variety
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $43M | $144.8M |
| 2 | Mortal Kombat II | May 8 | $40M | $40M |
| 3 | Michael | Apr 24 | $36.5M | $240.4M |
| 4 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $15.9M | $15.9M |
| 5 | Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft | May 8 | $7.5M | $7.5M |
| 6 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 1 | $6.6M | $412.1M |
| 7 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $6M | $327.8M |
| 8 | Hokum | May 1 | — | $12.5M |
| 9 | Deep Water | May 1 | — | $3.7M |
| 10 | Animal Farm | May 1 | — | $5M |
| 11 | Lee Cronin’s The Mummy | Apr 17 | — | $28.7M |
| 12 | The Drama | Apr 3 | — | $47.7M |
| 13 | Hoppers | Mar 6 | — | $165.7M |
| 14 | Slime Movie | May 1 | — | $1.3M |
| 15 | You, Me & Tuscany | Apr 10 | — | $18.7M |
| 16 | Mother Mary | Apr 17 | — | $2.5M |
| 17 | Our Hero, Balthazar | Mar 27 | — | $216K |
| 18 | A Great Awakening | Apr 3 | — | $8.1M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates · Note: Only 18 films in wide release this weekend (fewer than required 20)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency